The Stag Inn

🏰 A Historic Pub in the Heart of Hastings Old Town

Perched at the top of picturesque All Saints Street—Hastings’ oldest residential road—The Stag Inn is a 16th-century pub steeped in character. With its beamed ceilings, rustic floorboards, candlelit tables, and cosy interiors, this centuries-old inn offers a warm welcome to locals and visitors alike.

👻 Haunted History & Ghostly Guests

The Stag is one of the oldest pubs still trading in Hastings, and it’s become a highlight on the town’s guided heritage walks. Guests have reported encounters with the supernatural—from a Dutch sea captain, said to have been murdered by local fishermen and seen in the cellar, to a mysterious young girl dressed in white, often glimpsed by the fireplace upstairs. The back bedroom? Let’s just say… most people feel they’re not alone.

🏴‍☠️ Smugglers, Secret Passages & Folklore

With a past rooted in Hastings’ notorious smuggling history, The Stag’s cellar once hid a secret tunnel leading to All Saints Church—likely used by 18th-century smugglers or religious dissenters. The pub remains deeply connected to local traditions such as Jack in the Green, the Sussex Bonfire, and the Carnival—celebrations where history, legend, and revelry intertwine.

🐱 Cursed Cats & Witchcraft Legends

One of the most talked-about curiosities? The infamous “mummified cats,” discovered in a chimney during the 1940s and now displayed in the front bar. Once believed to protect old buildings from evil spirits, these feline guardians are part of the pub’s enduring folklore. Some say they belonged to Hannah Clarke, a local witch rumoured to have once lived here. Truth or tale—it’s all part of the magic.

🍻 More Than a Pub, A Living Story

From ghost sightings to ancient rituals, smugglers’ secrets to local legends, The Stag Inn is more than just a pint stop—it’s a living, breathing piece of Hastings history.